Firearm barrel assembly

ABSTRACT

The barrel of a pistol, specifically in a short recoil operated pistol, is comprised of multiple bearings surfaces comprised of cams and lugs that allow the pistol to function. The surfaces mechanically delay the pistol enough to allow the pistol to reliably function in the manner of an automatic firearm, chambering a round at the end of each cycle of operation. A barrel that locates a forward lug positioned horizontally in front of the trigger guard of the pistol with side cams that are shallow and interact in a way to provide the pistol with a robust and consistent lock up from shot to shot to provide an advantage in the function of the firearm.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to and a continuation-in-part of,claims priority from and the benefit of co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/732,644, filed Jun. 5, 2015, entitleSEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL, which in turn claims priority from U.S.provisional patent application 62/013,090 filed on Jun. 17, 2014,entitled “ANGLED SEAR RELEASE IN A SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL,” thedisclosures of which applications are hereby incorporated by referencein their entirety for all that is taught and disclosed therein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to firearms, and in particular to pistolbarrels.

BACKGROUND

The barrel of a pistol, specifically in a short recoil operated pistol,is comprised of multiple bearings surfaces comprised of cams and lugsthat allow the pistol to function. The surfaces mechanically delay thepistol enough to allow the pistol to reliably function in the manner ofan automatic firearm, chambering a round at the end of each cycle ofoperation.

Pistol barrels, in short recoil operated pistols, have traditionallylocated their cam and lug surfaces as near to the bore of the pistol aspossible. These surfaces are usually comprised of an easily machinedsingle or double lug surface that locks into the frame of the pistol.This action, traditionally, happens above the trigger guard, whichincreases the bore axis of these traditional designs.

The traditional lock up system constricts the ability to lower the boreaxis with a robust barrel design. The present invention provides abarrel that locates a forward lug positioned horizontally in front ofthe trigger guard of the pistol with side cams that are shallow andinteract in a way to provide the pistol with a robust and consistentlock up from shot to shot.

SUMMARY

The barrel of the present invention provides a barrel with a forwardlower lug surface operably forward of the bore and forward of thetrigger guard that it operates in. It also has two side cams thatinteract with corresponding lugs in the pistol.

The placement of these cams and lugs, unique in pistol design, allow forthe pistol to operate in as rugged and reliable a manner as otherdesigns, while offering the advantages that the pistol design claims.

The present invention further contemplates a firearm barrel assemblyhaving a trigger guard, an insert above the trigger guard, a barrelconnected to the insert and defining a center line axis, a slideenclosing the barrel and operable to reciprocate along the center lineaxis between a forward battery position and a rearward open position, anarrangement of cams, lugs, and a pin, the arrangement connected to thebarrel, such that the cams and lugs engage and disengage with each otherand the pin as the barrel moves in and out of battery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, and theadvantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptionstaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a side view of the barrel of the invention.

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1C.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the barrel assembly of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel in battery.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel of FIG. 3 with a cutawaydetail.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel disengaged from the frontlug.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel of FIG. 5 with a cutawaydetail.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel at its most rearwardpoint of travel.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel of FIG. 7 with a cutawaydetail.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel at its most rearwardpoint of travel.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel of FIG. 9 with a cutawaydetail.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel at a point prior toreturn to battery.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel of FIG. 11 with acutaway detail.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel returned to battery.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel of FIG. 13 with acutaway detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of theinvention. The term “invention” is not intended to refer to anyparticular embodiment or otherwise limit the scope of the disclosure.Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, theembodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, aslimiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition,one skilled in the art will understand that the following descriptionhas broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meantonly to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimatethat the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited tothat embodiment.

In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and“comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should beinterpreted to mean “including, but not limited to.” Also, the term“connect” or “connected” or equivalent term where used if at all isintended to mean either an indirect or direct connection. Thus, if afirst component connects to a second component, that connection may bethrough a direct connection or through an indirect connection via othercomponents and connections.

Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claimsto refer to particular system components and method steps. As oneskilled in the art will appreciate, different companies may refer to acomponent by different names. This document does not intend todistinguish between components that differ in name but not function.

FIG. 1A is a side view of the barrel enclosed by a slide and operablymounted on a frame insert to provide a barrel assembly 100.

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1A, showing the barrel frontlug 112 resting on a pin 118 mounted into a frame insert 116 andoperably retained by the slide 108 in assembly 100.

FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1C, showing the side cams 106of the barrel 110 resting above corresponding lugs 104 in a frame insert116.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the barrel 110, a slide 108 forward ofbreach face 102, a frame insert 116, and a pin 118. Lugs 106 aredisposed behind barrel ramp 112 under barrel 110. Cams 104 a and 104 b(collectively, side cams 104) are mounted on insert 116, oralternatively are integral with insert 116.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel 110 in battery, a slide108 enclosing the barrel 110 and mounted to a frame insert 116 operablyby the front lug 112 of the barrel 110 resting on a pin 118. Breach face102 is forward of hood 120.

FIG. 4 is the cross-sectional view of the barrel in battery of FIG. 3with a cut away to reveal the cam and lug barrel mechanism. A slide 108enclosing the barrel 110 and mounted to a frame insert 116 operably bythe front lug 112 of the barrel 110 resting on a pin 118. A cutawaydisplays the side cams 106 of the barrel 110 in battery, not interactingwith the corresponding lugs 104 on the insert 116.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel disengaged from the frontlug 112, a slide 108 enclosing the barrel 110 and moving rearward 122causing the barrel 110 to disengage from a pin 118.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel out of battery, a slide108 enclosing the barrel 110 and mounted to a frame insert 116 operablyby the front lug 112 of the barrel 110 resting on a pin 118. A cutawaydisplays the side cams 106 of the barrel 110 in a rearward position,interacting with the corresponding lugs 104 on the insert 116.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel at its most rearwardpoint of travel, a slide 108 enclosing the barrel 110 and moving furtherrearward than FIG. 5 causing the barrel hood 120 to drop below thesurface of a slide 108.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel at its most rearwardpoint of travel. A slide 108 enclosing the barrel 110 and mounted to aframe insert 116 operably by the front lug 112 of the barrel 110 restingon a pin 118. A cutaway displays the side cams 106 of the barrel 110 inthe rearmost position, interacting with the corresponding lugs 104 onthe insert 116.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel at its most rearwardpoint of travel. a slide 108 enclosing the barrel 110 and moving furtherrearward than FIG. 7 causing the barrel hood 120 to drop below thesurface of a slide 108.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel at its most rearwardpoint of travel. A slide 108 enclosing the barrel 110 and mounted to aframe insert 116 operably by the front lug 112 of the barrel resting ona pin 118, a cutaway displays the side cams 106 of the barrel 110 in therearmost position shown in FIG. 9, interacting with the correspondinglugs 104 on the insert 116.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel at a point prior toreturn to battery. Movement 124 is forward. A slide 108 enclosing thebarrel 110 with the hood 120 not returning above the plane of the slide108, the front lug 112 engaging a pin 118.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel at a point prior toreturn to battery. A slide 108 enclosing the barrel 110 and returningthe front lug 112 to rest on a pin 118 that mounts a frame insert 116, acutaway displays the side cams 106 of the barrel 110 unlocking from theinsert lugs 104.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel returned to battery. Aslide 108 enclosing the barrel 110, the front lug 112 engaging a pin 118operably connected to a frame insert 116.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the barrel returned to battery. Aslide 110 enclosing the barrel 110 and a front lug 112 resting on a pin118 that mounts in a frame insert 116, a cutaway displays the side cams106 of the barrel 110 resting in battery, disengaged from insert lugs104.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention describedherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which thisdisclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A firearm having a barrel assembly, the barrelassembly comprising: a forward tubular portion having a lower wallsurface portion and defining a bore axis; an insert housing a cam pinproximate the barrel; a rear portion of the barrel defining a camchannel receiving a cam pin; a cam channel having a guide surface angleddownwardly to the rear with respect to the bore axis, such that rearwardmovement of the barrel in recoil drives the rear portion of the barrelin a downward direction as the cam channel guide surface slides over thecam pin; and the cam channel having an upper portion above the level ofthe lower wall surface portion of the forward tubular portion of thebarrel.
 2. The firearm of claim 1, wherein the cam channel is defined ina side portion of the rear portion of the barrel, and has a verticalfloor surface spaced apart from a medial plane of the barrel, such thatthe barrel wall thickness is maintained above a preselected dimensionproximate to the cam channel.
 3. The firearm of claim 1, where each of apair opposed lateral sides of the barrel defines a cam channel.
 4. Thefirearm of claim 1, further comprising a slide and a frame defined by apair of opposed upper sidewalls, each of the opposed upper sidewallshaving an upper edge abutting the slide, and wherein at least a portionof the cam pin is above the level of the upper edges of the opposedupper sidewalls.
 5. The firearm of claim 1, including a pair of campins, each spaced apart from each other to receive a portion of thebarrel therebetween.
 6. A firearm comprising: an insert; a cam pinhoused proximate the barrel in the insert; a barrel connected to theinsert and defining a bore axis, the barrel having a forward tubularportion having a lower wall surface portion; a slide enclosing thebarrel and operable to reciprocate along the bore axis between a forwardbattery position and a rearward open position; and a cam channel definedby a rear portion of the barrel and having an upper portion above thelevel of the lowest portion of the forward tubular portion of thebarrel, the cam channel receiving the cam pin, the cam channel furtherhaving a guide surface angled downwardly to the rear with respect to thebore axis, such that rearward movement of the barrel in recoil drivesthe rear portion of the barrel in a downward direction as the camchannel guide surface slides over the cam pin.
 7. The firearm of claim6, wherein the cam channel is defined in a side portion of the rearportion of the barrel, and has a vertical floor surface spaced apartfrom a medial plane of the barrel, such that the barrel wall thicknessis maintained above a preselected dimension proximate to the camchannel.
 8. The firearm of claim 6, where each of a pair opposed lateralsides of the barrel defines a cam channel.
 9. The firearm of claim 6,wherein the frame defines a pair of opposed upper sidewalls, each havingan upper edge abutting the slide, and wherein at least a portion of thecam pin is above the level of the upper edges of the frame uppersidewalls.
 10. The firearm of claim 6, including a pair of cam pins,each spaced apart from each other to receive a portion of the barreltherebetween.
 10. A firearm comprising: a trigger guard; an insert abovethe trigger guard; a barrel connected to the insert and defining acenter line axis; a slide enclosing the barrel and operable toreciprocate along the center line axis between a forward batteryposition and a rearward open position; an arrangement of cams, lugs, anda pin, the arrangement connected to the barrel, wherein the cams andlugs engage and disengage with each other and the pin as the barrelmoves in and out of battery.
 11. The firearm of claim 10, wherein one ormore of the cams of the arrangement of cams, lugs and a pin, areconnected to the insert.